The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) said it is on high alert after a social media flier about a planned march. The flier said members of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) plan to march to the City Manager’s office.
According to the flier, the workers want better wages. The warning came after protest action by SAMWU members caused major traffic problems in the Johannesburg CBD on Monday.
“Law enforcement agencies have been placed on high alert to ensure public safety and maintain order,” JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla told SABC News.
Fihla said more officers, monitoring and mobile patrols will be sent to Braamfontein and nearby areas. He said this includes key routes to major municipal offices, the M1 and M2 freeways and the CBD.
He said members of the public, students and business owners in Braamfontein should stay alert near municipal buildings. He said they should expect delays and local traffic diversions on main routes.
On Monday, the JMPD said the M1 freeway was fully closed in both directions at the Smit Street off-ramps and on-ramps. This is in the Braamfontein and CBD area.
The police department said the closure was due to SAMWU protest action over wage disputes. It warned of heavy traffic and long delays along the M1.
The JMPD said officers were sent to the area to manage traffic and guide vehicles safely away from the protest. Diversions were put in place.
Drivers heading south on the M1 from Sandton or Rosebank were told to leave the freeway at Empire Road or Jan Smuts Avenue. From there, they could go through Parktown to outer CBD routes.
Drivers heading north on the M1 from Booysens or the south were told to use Booysens Road. They could also join the M2 East or Joe Slovo Drive to avoid the CBD.
People travelling east or west were asked to use the M2, the M11 along Victoria Avenue and Joubert Park, or the N1 Western Bypass. These routes take drivers around the central district.
The JMPD asked motorists to take care at all diversions and follow the instructions of traffic officers on the scene.
The police department also warned drivers to expect long delays during peak hours. It said people should give themselves extra time to travel.
Source: this article is based on reporting by SABC Business. Image: SABC Business. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.